Parts and tool kit, as for plumbing parts, tools, and the like



Oct. 10, 1961 A. D. LEBEDZlNSKl PARTS AND TOOL KIT, AS FOR PLUMBING PARTS, TOOLS, AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 20, 1959 A0 1% any fla we Lebea z/flJk/ INVENTOR. BY win. 5..

A TTOR/ VEY United States Patent O 3,003,618 PARTS AND TOOL KIT, AS FOR PLUMBING PARTS, TOOLS, AND THE LIKE Anthony D. Lebedzinski, 1104 Eberhard, Houston, Tex. Filed Aug. 20, 1959, Set. N0. 835,087

Claims. (Cl. 20616) This invention relates to a parts and tool kit, such as a kit which may be well used by plumbers, or by other artisans, where a requirement exists to have ready at all times for transportation in compact storage requisite tools and an extensive variety of parts in a range of sizes, so that upon arrival to fulfill a service call, the artisan may select tools for use and proper replacement parts as to size and fimction with a minimum loss of time, thereby being enabled to carry out a maximum number of service calls within any specified period if time.

The invention therefore has as its primary intention the provision of a parts and tool kit for artisans engaged in carrying out service calls at various locations, such kit being designed with the object of providing storage space and means for storing the requisite tools and the widest ranges of parts as to function and size within the contemplation of the trade, and the kit at the same time being of minimum weight and occupying minimum space to carry out its purposes, while requiring a minimum number of working parts to latch its components together and hold the parts therein in place during transportation to service locations.

It is another object of the invention to provide a kit of this class in which the parts not arranged uppermost may be made accessible in the drawer means latched together with the kit housing during transportation but readily unlatched for access to the parts therein when desired.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a kit of this class having a novel arrangement of compartment and drawer space within the kit housing, and a novel arrangement for latching cover and housing together for transportation whereby the assembled kit, including drawer means, is compactly transportable in firmly latched together condition, the kit thereafter being easily unlatched for access upon service location.

It is still a further object of this invention to provide a kit of this class which may be inexpensively constructed, requiring a minimum number of separate and specially made parts, such kit being of light weight and being compact and easily transportable.

Other and further objects will be apparent when the specification herein is considered in connection with the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the drawer insertable into the lower compartment space of the kit;

FIG. 3 is a sectional elevation taken along line 3-3 of FIG.'2; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view showing front corner details, and taken along line 44 of FIG. 1.

The kit comprises a housing having joined together a bottom 11, and upstanding therefrom a left wall 12, a right wall 13, and a rear wall 14. A horizontally extending partition spaced above the bottom 11, divides the kit housing 10 into a lower compartment space and an upper compartment space, such partition having its edges respectively connected to the left, rear, and right walls of the housing, and having a front member 16 upstanding from the forward edge thereof and connected at its ends to the left and right housing walls 12 and 13, respectively.

An inverted channel 17 upstands from the partition 15, and extends longitudinally thereacross centrally there- "ice 2 of from the left wall 12 to the right wall 13. Longitudinally extending rows of holes 18, 18', equally spaced apart on opposite sides of the longitudinal center line of the inverted channel 17, are provided to extend through the web of the channel 17, and longitudinally extending rows of holes 19, 19', with holes correspondingly spaced apart longitudinally and correspondingly aligned transversely with the rows of holes 13, 1-8, are provided respectively in the rear wall 14 and front member 16, such holes 19, 19' being equally vertically spaced above the holes 18, 18'. Rods 20, constructed to have fittings such as valve seats installed thereon, are provided having heads or beads 21 on the outer ends thereof, such rods extending through the outer holes 19, 19' into the upper compartment and having angularly downwardly extending hooks or turns 22 therein, such as right angle turns shown in FIG. 1, and having their inner ends 23 turned downwardly to extend below the web of the channel 17, such ends 23 being shown in dotted lines, also in FIG. 1.

This construction of rods 20 with relation to the channel 17 and the housing 10 permits a rod 2% to be lifted from its inner end and turned upwardly to gain access to permit selection and removal of a valve seat from the rod 20 when the rod 20 is thus turned upwardly, since the part thereof adjacent the head 21 may be slid forwardly and then downwardly on the outer surface of the housing, so that the part of the rod thereabove may extend vertically or substantially vertically.

A cover or top 24 is provided for the kit and hingedly connected at its rear corners to the upper corners of the rear wall 14, such hinge connections being conventional as indicated by the right hinge 25 shown in FIG. 1. A channel 17' of similar size, length, and dimension as the channel 17, is connected to the under surface of the top or cover 24, with longitudinal axis coincident with the longitudinal axis of the top 24 and of the housing 1! so that when the top 24 is closed and latched to the housing 10, as will be hereinbelow described, the web of the channel 17' bears upon the inner portions of the rods 20 which in turn rest upon the web of the channel 17, and thus the channel 17' serves as a hold-down or anchoring means for the rods 20, the beads or heads 21 on the outer ends of the rods 20 otherwise anchoring them against movement.

A drawer 26 is provided, as shown in the drawings, having a bottom 27, with front, left, rear, and right walls 28, 29, 30, and 31, respectively, upstanding therefrom. Such drawer 26 has its front 28 to overextend the housing 10 in longitudinal dimension to provide flanges 32 on either end thereof to extend rearwardly to inhibit any relative longitudinal movement between the drawer 26 and the housing 10, while the inner surfaces of the drawer front wall 28, as indicated at 33 in FIG. 2, stops against the forward edges of the left and right housing walls 12 and 13, respectively, to thus position the drawer rear wall 30 just short of the inner surface of the rear wall 14 of the housing 10.

As indicated at 34 in FIG. 4, the forward edge of the housing left Wall 12 is recessed at 34 to receive the drawer front Wall 28 therein and the housing right wall 13 is correspondingly recessed. Thus the outer face of the drawer front wall 28 is flush with the outer face of the housing front member 16 when such drawer is slid rearwardly over the housing bottom 11.

A hinge 35 is connected to the underside of the bottom 11 at each forward corner thereof and a hasp 36 is hingedly connected to such hinge 35 by means of a suitable hinge pin 37. Such hasp 36- extends upwardly and the top is re-curved to form a latch part 38. The top or cover 24 of the kit has at each forward corner a re-curved forward edge or latch part 39 adjacent each side flange 40 of such top, and spaced from each re-curved latch part 39 the top forward edge provides a re-curved latch part 41. Between the inner ends of the re-curved forward latch parts 41 of the top 24 there is provided centrally a downwardly re-curved portion providing a spring housing 42. Longitudinally extending slots 43 are provided in such re-curved member 24 extending thereinto from either end thereof.

In fabrication a spring 52 is inserted into each end of the re-curved portion 42 to bear inwardly against a centrally located stop 53. Thereafter the inner end of a latch rod is inserted into each end of the re-curved portion 42 to bear inwardly against the outer end of a spring 52, each latch rod 44 having a handle 45 extending transversely therefrom from a predetermined position near the inner end thereof. As the next step in fabrication, with the handles 45 positioned inwardly of the stock for the latchparts 41, and then the latch parts 41 are re-curved as aforesaid to constrain the latch rods 44 normally in latching position with the handles 45 in stopped position against the inner faces of the latch parts 41 while the rods 44 extend outwardly through the latch parts 41 of the top or cover, the latch parts 38 of the hinge 50, and the latch parts 39 of the top or cover.

When the handles 45 are turned downwardly below the slots 43 shown in FIG. 1, they are placed in'latching position between the inner ends of the latch parts 41 and the outer ends of the re-curved central portion or spring housing 42.

When the handles 45 are turned upwardly in position to be moved inwardly into the slots 43, and are then drawn together to compress the spring 44, the outer ends of the latch rods 44 may be retracted from the latch parts 39 and drawn within the outer ends of the latch part 41, and then the top 24 may be pivoted downwardly so that the latch parts 38 of the hasp i) fit between the top or cover latch parts 41 and 39. Then the handles 45 of the latch rods 44 may be released so that the latch rods are urged outwardly to latch the top 24 and the hasp 50 together.

A handle 46 is provided for the drawer 26 and installed on the outer surface of the drawer front wall 28. Such handle 45 comprises the handle roller 47 through which extends a connection pin 48 which is bent upwardly at each end and then re-curved inwardly to fit into either end of a tubular connection member 29 which is rigidly connected to the front drawer wall 28.

Thus when the kit is to be moved it is only necessary that the artisan grasp the handle 47 and walk along therewith. Then when access to the contents of the kit may be desired, the top may first be unlatched from the hasp 50 and then the hasp may be pivoted downwardly so that the drawer 26 may be pulled out for access to its contents while at the same time the contents of the upper compartment 15 are accessible when the top 24 is thrown open. The drawer 26 may be compartmented for various usages as to store various special and conventional parts. For instance, in a kit as hereinabove described employed as a plumbers parts and tool kit, a miscellaneous supply of Washers may be stored in compartmenLA; odd valve seats may be stored in compartment B; handles, stems, and other parts may be stored in compartment C; barrel seats may be stored in compartment E; and miscellaneous packing may be stored in compartment F. Compartment G, shown on the right of FIG. 2, being of comparatively large size, may provide storage for tools, union washers, valve grease and miscellaneous faucet parts.

Compartment E, best shown in 'detail in FIG. 3, is shown providing H type washers with hooks on the upper ends thereof to have annular members, such as O-rings stored thereon. Also other annular members may be stored thereon when the hole or opening therethrough might be substantially larger in diameter than the diameter of the upstanding parts-of the rods H. Rods late also provided in compartment E for items such as bib washers where the item stored thereon is of such small diameter that it is not likely that it would tend to slip off over the top of the rod I.

The kit shown and described herein is subject to a wide range of variations as to the embodiments and modifications thereof and various structures and arrangements may be employed as such may fall within the broad spirit of the invention and within the broad scope of interpretation claimed and merited by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A kit, as a parts kit for plumbers and thelikeand comprising, a housing having a bot-tom, left and right and rear walls upstanding therefrom, a horizontal partition spaced above said bottom and dividing said housing into a lower drawer space and an upper parts space, a front plate extending across the front of said upper parts space and joined at either end to said left and right walls, respectively, an inverted channel upstanding from said partition and extending substantially centrally thereacross from left wall to right wall, two spaced apart, longitudinally extending rows ofholes in the web of said inverted chan I nel and a correspondingly longitudinally spaced apartrow of holes in said front plate and in said rear wall with such correspondingly spaced rows of holes being transversely aligned with and spaced above the rows of holes in said inverted channel, parts support rods having heads at .one end visible from the outside of said housing, said support rods being hooked angularly downwardly at such end and hooked downwardly at the other end, said rods being insertable through the holes of said higher spaced rows to receive parts thereon with the downwardly hooked other ends inserted downwardly through the holes in said channel web, a compartmented drawer insertable into said drawer space and providing compartment means having therein upstanding parts receiving rods, including rods with hooked upper ends, a pair of narrow, spaced apart hasps hingedly connected to the front part of said bottom to upstand therefrom in front .of said drawer to constrain said drawer within said housing, each hasp having its upper end re-curved and being longitudinally spaced from the adjacent front corner of said housing, a top for said kit hingedly connected to the top of the rear side of said housing and having a channel extending downwardly from the under side of said top and longitudinally extending centrally thereacross to bear upon rods above said inverted channel as a hold-down and anchoring means, the front edge of said top having downwardly r'e-cur/ed portions on opposite sides of said hasps, a latch rod on each side to extend through said re-curved portions and the hasp-recurved upper end thereinbetween at each front corner of said kit to connect said housing and said drawer in closed, latched position, the front edge portion of said top between said handles being re-curved downwardly and providing slots'extending longitudinally thereinto from either end of said portion, spring means in said portion with ends to urge against the inner ends of said said latch rods within said portions to position said latch rods in hasp latching position, each latch rod having a handle near the inner end thereof whereby when said handles are drawn inwardly along said slots to compress said spring means said latch rods may be drawn inwardly from said hasps to unlatch said top from said housing to permit access to said drawer.

2. A kit comprising a housing having a bottom, left, right, and rear walls upstanding therefrom, a horizontal partition spaced above said bottom, a front plate extending across the upper front part of said housing above said partition with ends joining said left and right walls, respectively, an inverted channel centrally upstanding from said partition between said left and right walls, two spaced apart, longitudinally extending rows of holes in the web of said inverted channel and a correspondingly longitudinally spaced apart and transversely aligned row-of holes in each of said front plate and said rear wall at elevation above said channel, parts support rods having heads at one end visible from the outside of said housing and adjacently hooked downwardly and also hooked downwardly at the other end, which other ends are insertable through the holes of said higher spaced rows to receive parts thereon and then inserted downwardly through the holes in said channel web, a compartmented drawer insertable below said partition, narrow, spaced apart hasps hingedly connected to the front part of said bottom and upstanding therefrom and having re-curved upper ends, one adjacent each front corner of said housing, a top hingedly connected to the top of the housing rear side, a channel extending longitudinally and downwardly centrally from the under side of said top to bear upon said rods above said inverted channel, the front edge of said top having re-curved portions on opposite sides of said hasps, a latch rod on each side to extend through said re-curved portions and the hasp re-curved upper end, the central front edge of said top being re-curved downwardly and providing slots extending longitudinally into either end of said downwardly re-curved top portion, spring means in said downwardly re-curved top portion to urge outwardly against the inner ends of said latch rods to position said latch rods in latching position, a handle in the inner part of each latch rod to be drawn inwardly along said slots to compress said spring means thereby withdrawing said latch rods from said hasps to unlatch said top to permit access to said drawer.

3. A kit comprising a housing having a bottom, left, right, and rear walls upstanding therefrom, a horizontal partition spaced above said bottom, a front plate extending across the upper front part of said housing above said partition and joining said left and right walls, respectively, an inverted channel centrally upstanding from said partition between said left and right walls, two spaced apart, longitudinally extending rows of holes in the web of said inverted channel and a correspondingly longitudinally spaced apart and transversely aligned row of holes in each of said front plate and said rear wall at elevation above said channel, parts support rods having heads at one end visible from the outside of said housing and adjacently hooked downwardly and also hooked downwardly at the other end, which other ends are insertable through the holes of said higher spaced rows to receive parts thereon and then inserted downwardly through the holes in said channel web, a compartmented drawer insertable below said partition, narrow, spaced apart hasps bingedly connected to the front part of said bottom and upstanding therefrom and having re-curved upper ends, one adjacent each front corner of said housing, a top hingedly connected to the top of the housing rear side, a channel extending longitudinally and downwardly centrally from the under side of said top to bear upon said rods above said inverted channel, a latch yieldably supported by said top and extendable into, and retractable 6 i from said hasp re-curved upper ends to respectively latch and unlatch said top to said hasps.

4. A kit comprising a housing having a bottom, left, right, and rear walls upstanding therefrom, a horizontal partition spaced above said bottom and dividing said housing into a lower drawer space and an upper parts space, a front plate extending across the front part of said upper parts space and joining said left and right walls, respectively, a compartmented drawer providing tool and part compartments insertable below said partition, narrow, spaced apart hasps hingedly connected to the front part of said bottom and upstanding therefrom and having recurved upper ends, one adjacent each front corner of said housing, a top hingedly connected to the top of the housing rear side, the front edge of said top having re-curved portions on opposite sides of said hasps, a latch rod on each side to extend through said re-curved portions and the hasp re-curved upper end, the central front edge of said top being re-curved downwardly and having slots longitudinally extending thereinto from either end thereof. spring means guidably housed in said top front edge to urge against the inner ends of said latch rods to position said latch rods in a latching position, said latch rods having handles on the inner parts thereof to be drawn inwardly along said slots to compress said spring means thereby withdrawing said latch rods from said hasps to unlatch said top to permit access to said drawer.

5. A kit comprising a housing having a bottom, left, right, and rear walls upstanding therefrom, a horizontal partition spaced above said bottom and dividing said housing into a lower drawer space and an upper parts space, a front plate extending across the front of said upper parts space with ends and joining said left and right walls, respectively, a compartmented drawer providing tool and part compartments insertable below said partition, narrow, spaced apart hasps hingedly connected to the front part of said bottom and upstanding therefrom and having re-curved upper ends, one adjacent each front corner of said housing, the outer surface of said front plate and the front of said drawer thereby being visible from the exterior of said kit when said kit is closed, and said drawer front having a full sized handle thereon spaced between said hasps by which said kit may be carried when closed, a top hingedly connected to the top of the housing rear side, a latch yieldably supported by said top and extendable into, and retractable from said hasp re-curved upper ends to respectively latch and unlatch said top to said hasps.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,932,638 Rogers Oct. 31, 1933 2,344,540 Dowd Mar. 21, 1944 2,584,048 Ramsey J an. 29, 1952 

